Technology

4:32 am

Thu August 2, 2012

Amazon Takes Entertainment Step With App Offerings

Amazon is positioning itself to be a bigger player in the digital music and movie market. This week, the company announced that it would be offering its movie and music apps on more devices, including Apple's iPad.

NPR's Laura Sydell reports.

LAURA SYDELL, BYLINE: Netflix has been a dominant player streaming movies online, and its app is on almost every device, from Xboxes to iPads. Now, Amazon's added a movie and TV app to the iPad.

Should Netflix worry?

SARAH ROTMAN EPPS: Netflix should worry.

SYDELL: Sarah Rotman Epps is an analyst with Forrester Research.

EPPS: Many consumers are on the fence about Netflix. It helped that they added "Mad Men," but they can't let the pressure up of trying to add more premium content.

SYDELL: Amazon has had a lot of success by making its eBooks available on almost every device, and they're trying to do the same with TV and movies. The company's aiming at music, as well. This week, Amazon announced its Cloud Player digital music app would soon be available on Roku Internet TV boxes and the Sonos home music streaming service.

iTunes has been a leader in digital music, and with the popularity of Apple devices, Rotman Epps thinks that will continue. Now, there's speculation that Amazon may soon start selling its own phone.

EPPS: They've done music and video from its services. It will have synergy with that device.

SYDELL: Over the next few years, consumers will likely see a lot more choices for online entertainment.